Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening Our Parish

Iowa Knight Line - 04 July 2014

As you all know, our principles are charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. Independence Day is a good day to reflect about patriotism.

As you celebrate the Fourth of July with family and friends, remember to pause for a moment to think about our freedoms and how much we owe those who came before us and shaped our country into what it is today. We should especially keep in mind our military men and women who are fighting to protect not only our way of life, but also the rights of others.

Many of you will participate in parades for the holiday, perhaps representing the Knights of Columbus. If so, thank you for being proud of your own patriotism and thank you for serving as worthy representatives of our Order. Your public pride in serving as a Knight of Columbus is just another way that you Go Make a Difference.

Fraternally,

Dan Werner

State Deputy

Iowa Knights of Columbus

Go Make a Difference!

~ Disaster Relief Fund Reminder~

The coming of summer has brought with it a number of natural disasters – wind, rain and hail have taken a toll on many folks around the state.

The Iowa Knights of Columbus established in 2008 a Disaster Fund to offer a bit of assistance to as many persons as possible who have suffered household loss as a result of disasters, giving preference to Brother Knights first, fellow Catholics second, and assisting others third. Assistance is not intended to offer complete relief, replace insurance, or take care of health needs, but to offer ready cash to assist in everyday living needs as lives are put back together.

The fund only works if Knights and councils do two things:

1) Contribute to the disaster fund so money is available when it is needed.

2) Notify the disaster committee and submit applications to assist people suffering losses from a natural disaster.

July 18, 19 & 20th are the dates for the State Softball Tournament put on by the Houghton Council. We will be golfing at Green Acres Golf Course in Donnellson on the 18th with a 12:30 pm tee off time. Free keg and team sign up will be at the Houghton K of C Hall on Friday evening beginning at 6:00 pm. Organizers have promised more information about the tournament and area hotels will be mailed to all councils soon.

~ Christ Our Life Conference ~

Catholic Event Provides Opportunities Now to Strengthen Faith

The conference, a wonderful example of a grassroots volunteer effort for faith-building, requires many volunteers. The Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus have previously provided the Honor Guard during the conference Masses. We wish to invite additional members of the Knights to serve in other ways during the conference.

Go to the conference website ChristOurLifeIowa.com and then click on the Volunteer Application Link to fill out the form. Choose a job category.

*** This form is a great record of council activities and can help your officers see where to balance your activities.

~ Fr Danner Wants You Campaign Ends~

Results are in for the Fr Danner Wants You to invite another Man to be a Knight of Columbus membership campaign. From May 1st until June 30th Knights in Iowa brought in 281 new brother Knights to stand in Solidarity with our Priests and Bishops.

On behalf of Fr Brian Danner and our Immediate Past State Deputy Joseph Ramirez, I extend my thanks and appreciation to Knights for their efforts to grow our order and our ability to be the right hand for our parish priests.

Michael P. Gaspers, PSD

~ Membership Results Fraternal Year 2013-2014 ~

Membership to start 7/01/13 at 31,466

Membership to finish 7/01/14 at 31,662

Men recruited or reactivated (intake) = 1189 brother Knights

Suspensions & Withdrawals 378

Net Gain YTD 811

Deaths 615

Net/Net Gain: 196 on goal of 125

Awards in our “Swing for the Fences” campaign will be announced next week.

~ Many Thanks PSD ~

I want to thank all of my the brother knights all across Iowa for the support you all gave me and my family these past 2 years serving as state deputy. When we lost our little Parker Marie last July all of the support we rec'd from our Knights was in incredible.

I want to thank my membership team as we achieved Supreme’s “Circle of Honor" in my second year of serving as state deputy.

We had a plan from the get go but really did not get it turned around until January. These last 6 months of the fraternal year was tough but you "TEAM IOWA" made it happen.

In the incentive program offered by Supreme "The Race to the Finish" IOWA took first place in Division 2 with 3 consecutive months of 10 % plus increase in membership intake which gave us 450 new members in 3 months for 39.13% of our goal. Remarkable!

April intake 169 new members 14.70 %

May intake 132 new members 11.48%

June intake 149 new members 12.96%

On achieving COH (intake gain) with 1189 new members we ranked 21st out 25 jurisdictions that achieved the intake goal. There are 72 jurisdictions in the Knights of r

On achieving net gain (after suspension) with 811 new members we ranked 19th out of 19 that achieve the goal.

Finally we achieved our NET /NET (after all losses) goal for the third year in a row with a gain of 196 members.

Brothers again thank you!

Now off to help our new state deputy brother Dan Werner drive Iowa to COH.

Vivat Jesus,

Joseph A. Ramirez

Immediate Past State Deputy

Iowa Knights of Columbus

MORE Knights, bring MORE hands, to raise MORE funds to evangelize, to help MORE people in need doing GOD's good works!

Can we do it? Yes we can! TEAM IOWA!

~ Iowa Knight Life Audio ~

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